Metabolic syndrome is a term used to describe a number of disorders that happen all at the same time. A healthcare provider may diagnose you with metabolic syndrome if you are suffering from at least three of the following conditions:

High blood pressure

High blood sugar levels

Central obesity

Low HDL

High triglycerides

Having only one of these conditions doesn't necessarily mean that you have metabolic syndrome, but all of them are considered a serious risk to your health, making metabolic syndrome treatment critical to your health overall. What healthcare providers have also found is that any of the above ailments could lead you to develop the others.

What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?

If you suffer from metabolic syndrome, it could be due to the genetic makeup you inherited from your parents, problems associated with being overweight, or the result of leading an inactive lifestyle. Whatever the source of the problem, metabolic syndrome is most often related to insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a condition where your cells act against the insulin your body produces. When you eat food, your digestive system breaks that food down into glucose which is a type of sugar. Glucose is absorbed by your cells with the help of insulin. If your cells are resisting the insulin, then the glucose cannot be absorbed. Instead it will remain in the blood stream, and the body will keep producing insulin to compensate. The levels of glucose and insulin in your blood will continue to rise, and could eventually lead to serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes.

High insulin levels can also increase the amount of fat in your blood inhibiting the natural function of your kidneys. This can lead to high blood pressure. If left unchecked, high blood pressure can develop into a cardiovascular disease or even a stroke.

How is Metabolic Symdrome Treated?

If you have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, the first step a metabolic syndrome healthcare provider will likely take is to recommend a comprehensive list of lifestyle changes. These may include: